Until We Meet Again
by time-converges
Summary: Donna meets the Doctor again after the Runaway Bride. The trouble is it's the wrong one.


Donna stretched out her legs on the lounge chair and adjusted the umbrella to shade the book she opened in her lap. She sighed in satisfaction. Finally, away from London, away from her mother, just time to herself to relax and try to forget these past few months. A July holiday, she thought, just perfect. She tried not to think that this was the time she had in mind as the substitute day to marry Lance. Poor, stupid, deceptive Lance. She flipped a page in her book sharply, trying to focus on the page again.

"Pardon me." Donna looked up into an unfamiliar face. "Have you seen my friends?"

The man was short and rumpled, his trousers creased and his shirt untidy. He wore a bow tie which was askew, and he looked as though he had tried to cut his dark hair himself, with the use of a bowl and no mirror. His face was lined with age, but his eyes were kind, if a bit worried at the moment.

"I'm sorry?" Donna asked, as the man looked around distractedly.

"Yes, could you help me? I seem to have lost my friends. Have you seen anyone?"

Donna looked around at the people surrounding her, sunbathing or reading or napping. "What do they look like?"

"Well, Jamie is a tallish young man, with a kilt. Zoe is a small dark-haired girl, quite young. Have you seen them?"

Donna shook her head. "No, I'm sure I would remember someone like that. Where did you last see them?"

"Well, we were all together, and I stopped to check on ... something and they seem to have wandered off. No matter how many times I tell them it just isn't safe..." He looked around distractedly again, frowning.

Donna looked around nervously, wondering what could possibly make this place not safe. "Perhaps the hotel staff have seen them?"

"Oh, of course. You're brilliant – someone must have seen which way they went. Thank you very much, Miss—" he grasped her hand with both of his, shaking it vigorously.

"Noble," she replied, but he was already dashing off.

She leaned back in the chair and tried to focus on the book again. Something about that man was...odd, she thought. And not just his dress. He seemed out of place somehow, yet familiar. She frowned and blew out her breath impatiently. She was supposed to be relaxing, not worrying about some strange old man.

She flipped the page restlessly. She wondered if he had found his friends. Sure, this was a nice enough resort, but it didn't mean that two young people couldn't get into trouble somehow. She sighed and closed her book, standing to gather her things and tie a sarong over her bathing suit. She'd just go back to her room, and see if she saw the man or his friends along the way.

Xxxxx

Donna rounded the corner, headed toward the lifts, when she saw him again. He was studying the large map of the resort, a puzzled look on his face. She sighed, then walked over to stand next to him. "Did you find them?"

"Sorry, what?" he asked, looking at her distractedly.

"Your friends. Did you find them?"

"Not yet. This map doesn't make any sense, you know," he said, pointing at one corner. "There's a building there, you can see it clearly through that window. But it's not on the map.

"Must be a maintenance building or something," Donna said, shrugging. "Maybe the map is just the public areas."

He shook his head. "No, see, here's the motor pool, and the maintenance building. And the laundry, which is definitely not public. I know, I tried to get in. So, what's in that building, do you think?" He looked at her, expectantly.

She blinked at him for a moment, thinking. How should she know? But she looked at it, then back at the map. "Storage?" she offered.

"Perhaps," he said. "Better go have a look, don't you think?" He looked excited at the prospect.

"Whatever for?"

"Well, a big secret building? There must be something interesting in there."

Donna thought longingly of her room, of stretching out for a little nap. So much for a relaxing vacation. "What about your friends?"

"Oh, I imagine we'll find them," he said.

Xxxxx

They stopped in front of a large door, clearly marked "Authorized Personnel Only" in several languages.

"How are we going to get in?" she asked, not unreasonably.

"Well, let me see here," he said, studying the magnetic card reader next to the door. He pulled a screwdriver out of his pocket and quickly opened the panel.

"Oi! What are you doing?" He was going to get them arrested, she thought.

"Just a bit of tinkering." He pulled some of the wires from the wall, and made some adjustments she couldn't see. Suddenly the door opened with a pop. "There we are," he said.

"I'm not sure we should—" she started to say, but he was already pushing the door wider and stepping through. With a sigh, she followed him.

They emerged into a giant warehouse, stacked with shipping containers. Doors lined one wall, and Donna could hear someone – or something- banging on one of them.

"Zoe? Jamie?" the man called, heading toward the noise. Donna followed, her heart beating in her throat.

"Doctor? Is that you?" a young girl's voice called from behind one of the doors, and the banging increased.

"Zoe? Don't worry, I'll get you out," he said, popping open the panel next to the door.

Donna froze. Doctor? No, it couldn't be. Perhaps it was a title, and not a name? "Who are you?" she asked, moving to stand next to him as he twisted the wires.

He glanced at her, releasing the wires. "Didn't I introduce myself? How rude of me! I'm the Doctor." He grasped her hand, shaking it vigorously once more.

"No, you aren't." He couldn't be.

"I assure you I am." He resumed twisting the wires, as Zoe and Jamie continued banging on the door.

"No, you certainly are not. I've met him, and you aren't him"

"Oh dear, have we met?" he asked, as the door opened with a pop. A young man and a small, dark-haired girl tumbled out. Zoe and Jamie, she presumed. "There you are, safe and sound," he said, giving Zoe a hug. He turned back to Donna. "Oh, it must have been a younger me. Or an older one. Different face you know. I wasn't wearing a ridiculous cape, was I?"

Donna shook her head, which was beginning to ache. "No, not a cape. Tall, skinny, brown suit."

"Hmm, must be a future me. Oh dear, and he didn't remember meeting you already, did he? Must mean I'll have to forget meeting you somehow." He held up his hand. "Just a moment." He turned to Zoe and Jamie. "Are they still here?"

Zoe glanced at Donna, then nodded. "Yes, we heard what they are planning. Jamie thinks he has an idea."

"Good, good. We'll take care of things and be on our way then. Why don't you and Jamie wait for me over there." The Doctor turned back to Donna, as Zoe and Jamie walked a few steps away.

"Ms. Noble," he said.

"Donna."

"Donna. I'm afraid I need to take care of something, and it would seem that you aren't meant to help me." His eyes grew distant, then focused on her again. "Thank you for your help."

"I don't understand—"

"You aren't supposed to stay with me now. Someday, yes, our paths will cross. If I'm very lucky, more than once. Your timeline...is complicated. But I hope we shall meet again."

"But you don't remember me. When I met you, you had never seen me before."

"Yes, well, that's complicated. And if – when – you meet me again, you'll know when is the right time to mention that you met me here. Timelines can be very delicate. A single word can change everything."

"Doctor—"

"Donna. I'm sorry, I really must be going. Things to do, you understand. Thank you again."

"I didn't do anything."

"Oh, you did, and you will. You were willing to help, which is more valuable than you think." He turned quickly and walked toward Zoe and Jamie. He stopped and turned back. "Oh, and you might want to cut your holiday short and leave, er, as soon as possible."

"What? Why?" but he and Zoe and Jamie were already hurrying away.

Donna sighed. Just as mysterious and dangerous as ever. She turned and quickly left the way they had come, heading to her room to pack up her things. As the taxi pulled away, taking her to the airport, she thought she heard a muffled explosion, from the area of the secret building.

Xxxxx

Donna stepped into her room on the TARDIS. She knew it had been months for her, and who knew how long for him, but her room looked just as she had left it. She turned to the Doctor, leaning against the doorframe, in his familiar brown suit. "You kept my room."

He didn't answer, just grinned at her from the doorway. She could feel the relief radiating from him in waves. The room seemed to warm as she stood in it, taking in the familiar surroundings.

"Three times you've found me," he said. "That must be a record."

It had been dreams at first, then full memories that had returned, bringing blinding headaches and fear. She had found Torchwood at last, in time for the Doctor to return and remove the Time Lord consciousness, leaving her own memories untouched.

She smiled, then frowned, remembering. "Actually, four, but you don't remember, do you?"

"Four?"

"After I met you the first time, I went on a holiday, to Spain again. You found me, quite by accident, I'm sure. But you weren't you – you looked different. And you didn't know me."

"What did I look like?" he asked, warily.

"Shorter, dark hair, sort of shaggy. Very rumpled, with a bow tie."

He rubbed his hand over his face with a grimace. "My second incarnation."

"Seriously? Why didn't you remember having met me before, then?" She walked over to him, and he took her hand.

He shook his head. "I don't know. That regeneration was a rough one, to say the least. Perhaps some memories got lost. Or perhaps I made myself forget, for some reason. What did I say to you?" His eyes widened. "I didn't play the recorder for you, did I?"

She laughed. "No, definitely not. He – you – said that if he was lucky, he'd meet me again."

He grinned. "I was right, of course. I was lucky enough to meet you again."

"Yeah, well, it took you long enough."

"Yeah." He ducked his head, then looked back up at her. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too, you dumbo."

He grinned at her again.

"So, which incarnation wore the cape?" she asked with a wink.


End file.
